Weekend Trip: Eureka

“Adventure doesn’t always look pretty.” I’m transforming myself in the plastic version of Little Red Riding Hood. Those rain ponchos are supposed to be ugly, but bright red? Really?

I couldn’t care less. I can already see the waves through the windshield wiped window and I want to get out of the car as soon as possible. There’s a time to dress nicely and there’s a time where you really shouldn’t give a darn as long as it keeps you from drowning or freezing.

So my view this afternoon has a bright red framing. The hood doesn’t quite fit and seriously limits my peripheral vision, but what I do see is incredibly beautiful. Moonstone beach covered in fog, any noise canceled out by waves and rain drops on the dark sand and forrest that seems to want to immerse with the ocean.

This is the real deal. Not the fluffy palm tree version of the Californian coast everyone sees on tv. This is the raw, rough and violent force of the ocean meeting earth. It always takes my breath away.

The signs of the Highway 1 north of Eureka basically look like this: Beach – lake – beach – another beach – an even prettier beach – the most beautiful beach you’ve ever… – oh, welcome to the Redwoods. You can’t really take a wrong exit, just randomly pick one and enjoy the surprise.

Adventure is easier than you think. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars or fly for hours to have those vacation vibes. There’s easy-accessibly beauty you can enjoy by traveling local. It’s all about collecting stories, exploring new places and going on adventures that shake you out of Autopilot Living.

In the Weekend Trip series, I’ll share recommendations, travel tips and stories to inspire you to plan your next adventure. Tomorrow you can find more pictures and stories about Eureka, Moonstone Beach and Trinidad, as well as the travel tips and recommendations.